Deploying Agent through Group Policy

Last Modified

Fri Jun 01 14:47 GMT 2018

Description

  • This article provides brief information on Windows Agents being deployed through Group Policy with the advantage being that new devices are automatically discovered by N-able N-central.
  • This also ensures that the Windows Agent does not get accidentally removed as it will be reinstalled the next time that the Group Policy is run.
  • N-able N-central provides a Group Policy Deployment Script for the Windows Agent which is available on the Download Agent/Probe Software screen.

Environment

  • All N-able N-central versions

Solution

  • What you could use is the GPO Computer Start or Shutdown Script
  • The most effective method for using this script is through Group Policy Objects
  • In Group Policy, there are two methods of deploying scripts:
    1. At computer startup or shutdown
    2. At user login or logoff
  • To use the Group Policy Deployment Script for the Windows Agent, please do the following:
  1. Sign in to the N-able N-central UI
  2. In the navigation pane, click Actions > Download Agent/Probe Software
  3. Click Group Policy Deployment Script for the Windows Agent to download the installNableAgent.bat script file.
  4. Save the installNableAgent.bat script file in a network shared drive that will be accessible for group policy implementation.
  5. Configure a computer startup or shutdown script Group Policy Object
  6. Provide the following command line argument in the GPO script you'd created in step 5: < N-able N-central server FQDN or IP> <customerID> <installerShare>
  • For example: installNable.bat ashbury.n-able.com 109 localhost\share
  • NOTE: The <installerShare> value does not need to begin with \\ or end with a trailing \
  • NOTE: This procedure should be reviewed, approved, and implemented by a Microsoft Certified Professional holding a Microsoft Certified Systems Engineer (MCSE) designation
  • For more information about modifying Group Policy Objects, contact Microsoft Corporation
  • The next time that the target computers shut down and restart, the GPO will direct the Windows Agent to be installed on the designated devices
  • To verify that the Agents have checked into N-able N-central properly, click All Devices view in the navigation pane of the N-able N-central UI
  • If the agents are checking in properly, there will be a version number displayed in the Agent Version column for the device